Socket locking attachment and tool for electric devices



June 19, 1934. HARRISON 1,963,234

SOCKET LOCKING ATTACHMENT AND TOOL FOR ELECTRIC DEVICES Filed Nov. 5. 1932 INVENTOR A'TTORNEY Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOCKET LOCKING ATTACHMENT AND TOOL- FOR ELECTRIC DEVICES Gale Harrison, Kearn'y, N. J. Application November 5, 1932, Serial No. 641,471

5 Claims. (01. 173-356) This invention relates to means for locking an electrical device, such as a lamp bulb, into a socket.

During the course of the year, many lamp bulbs are appropriated by the public'from electric light fixtures or sockets that are placed in exposed or public places, and the losses run into large sums if no provision is made for locking these securely in the socket whereby they cannot be readily re- .moved and taken away.

It is therefore the principal object of my inven tion-to provide means for looking a lamp bulb or other electrical device to the supply socket whereby the same cannot be removed except by the use of a special tool which is included as a part of my invention.v V I While attaining the main object, it is another object of my invention to provide a socket-lockingattachment and'tool which are cheap to manufacture, easy to install and highly efficient for accomplishing the purpose intended. My inventionwill be readily understood by reference to the annexed drawing, whereinz Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the socket with my attachment in position holding the lamp bulb.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, butwith' part. of the socket and attachment broken away to show the interior construction.

Figure 3 is a View of the end of the attachment and lamp bulb in position showing the application of the special tool to the locking means for holding the lamp bulb to the attachment.

Figure 4 is a view of the lower end of the socket .with the attachment in place and the tool inserted to release the lock for holding the attachment to the socket.

Figure 5 is a View taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2, across the attachment only, showing the locking means for holding the attachment to the supply socket.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one end of the special tool, and the special locking screw for holding the bulb to the attachment.

In the drawing, wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts in the various views, 1 is a supply socket to which it is desired to fasten a lamp bulb 2 or some other suitable electrical device. I accomplish this purpose by providing,

. first, an attachment to be screwed into the socket 1, and secondly, a tool to be used for removing the attachment and also for operating and fastening the bulb 2 to the attachment.

The attachment in general comprises a metallic sleeve 3 which is integrally formed in two sections of different diameter, the section? being or a larger diameter than the section 5 which is" adapted to be screwed into the'threads providedon 'the' socket 1. The end of the section 5 is closed by an insulator 5 which is fastened the end of the shell section 5 in any satisfactory manner as by providing a shoulder on the end of the shell and spinning the edge thereof over the in-' sulator 6, which carries a central contact 7 to be engaged by the corresponding central contact in the lamp bulb 2 in the well-known manner, it being understood that the opposite end 8 o'f'the spring contact '7 engages the central spring con tact in the socket 1. 1 V f Near the insulator '6, the section 5 of thef shell 3 carries a spring member 9 which maybe made of steel spring-wire that is attached to the shell section '5 in any satisfactory manner. The free end of the spring 9 projects through a slot or opening 10 in the wall of the shell section 5 and terminates in a relatively sharp point 11 (see Figs;

'2 and 5) so that the point 11 will engage or dig into the wall of the socket 1 on reverserotatio'n' of the'shell 3. In screwing the shell into the socket 1, the spring 9 and point 11 may move to the position indicated by the dotted line 12 (see Fig. 5) whereby the attachment may be readily screwed into the socket 1.

The outer end of the shell 3 of the larger diameter section portion 4 carries an insulator 13 which is preferably moulded thereon from any satisfactory insulating material. The insulator 13 is in the form of an annular ring and is preferably provided with a projection 14 which completely encloses or houses a special screw 15, both ends of which are conically shaped, the end 16 terminated in a relatively sharp point which is adapted to pass through an orifice in the shell section 3 so as to engage the metal stem of the lamp bulb 2. The opposite end of the screw 15 is in the shape of a frustum of a cone in which the end surface 17 is flat so that an ordinary type of screw-driver has nothing to engage. The conical face, however, of this end of the screw is provided with a slot 18 which extends substantially parallel with its conical face in which it is positioned. The projection 14 is provided with threads 19 preferably moulded therein, thereby forming a socket for the screw 15. In order to operate the screw 15, a special tool 20 is provided having a metal thimble 21 fastened thereto by pin 22. The end of the thimble 21 has a conical recess 23 to fit the conical end of the screw 15, and it is also provided with a portion 24 indented inwardly to form a key to fit the keyway or slot 18 in the bulb 2 is then removed. The opposite end'of the tool 20, which is preferably made of insulating material, has a reduced end that is adapted'to' be inserted in the space 26* (see Fig.3 the spring 9 and the Wall of the shell 3,-therebyforcing the spring 9 to move into theposition shown in dotted lines 12, which moves the endll of the spring out of locking=engagementwith the' side wall of the socket 1, and the attachment may then be unscrewed from the socket.

From. what hasv been said, it. will. be. seen that thescrew 15 cannot be readily unscrewedtore- 1ease-the.lamp.bulb,2, becausethere i's noslot in theflat. face 1'7,v and therefore there is nothing for ascrew-driven to engage, and the slot 18',

being formed in. the. conical .face, makes it substantially impossible. the: special tool. herein. described;

Having; thus described my invention, what I' claimis:

1..Anattachment for. the purpose described metallicv shell. having one end.

comprising, av formedto .screw. into .a socket, while the. opposite end is formed to receive a device having a thread ed. stem such as a. lamp bu1b,.said-. firstI-mentioned endof. the shell beingof smaller, diameter than. the oppositeend. and. carrying. within its comineswv a spring, having one end extending through the side wallofQ the shell. to positivelyv engage .thewall.of.the=socket. irrsuch manner as to. allow the attachmenttobescrewedinto the socket. but.to prevent itbeing: unscrewed theree fr.om,except on.application.of a special tool without; the; said. opposite end-of the shell having. aninsulator positioned thereon, a screw. socketcarriedfb'y. the insulaton and, opening into the interior, of said shell, a screw carried by said insulatorscrew socket', and. completely enclosed. therein and to .operate. the screw without.

device being. in place therein,.said' adapted to be moved to engage the device screwed into said shell adjacent the insulator.

2. An attachment as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that the screw has a special head, the same being tapered with a slot in and extending with the taper on the head, whereby only aspecial tool to fit the head and slot can be used.

3. An attachment as set forth in claim" 1, further characterized in that the screw is tapered at. both ends, one ending in a relatively sharp point, while the other end has a fiat point and a, slot;- in, the? tapered: surface, whereby only a socketrt'ypetcol with a key formed to fit said slot can be used on said screw.

4'. An attachment as set forth in claim 1, further. characterized in that said insulator has a hollow projection which encloses said screw, said screw having a special head, the same being taperedwith, a slot in. and extending with the taper on theh'ead; whereby. only aspecialtoolto fit the headand slot can be used.

.5. Anattachment as set forthinclaim 1;. further characterized in that the screw has a special.

head; the same being tapered with aslot in, and extending with the taper on the head, .in combination with, a. special tool to fit the head and slot,

said tool also having an end formed to. release said;

spring from locking engagement when the attachment. is desired to. be removed from the socket.

6.. Meansfor locking anelectric lightbulb havastem to a-socket.comprising,. an attachment consisting. of a metallic shell. to fitj the socket and carrying a spring positionedj transversely acrossthe ,shell .and. projecting throughithe sidewallthereofto gripthe socketon reverse direction of..rotation of the shell, said spring beingv releasable by a speci'alTtool without dest'ructionbf' the shell, saidi shelLhaving an annular insulator around itsopen endwhich is adaptedto receive the lightbulb, a pointed screw carried'by. and'in concealed. position within the adapted toengagethe light bulb stem, said" screw, being constructed so it cannot be operatedby the. ordinary. screw-driver or tool.

GATJE HARRISON;

insulator and 

